CRISTEL BIOME® Steam & Low-Temperature Cooking System – 6 Qt

Gentle Steam, Carefully Controlled

The 6 Qt BIOME® is the larger of CRISTEL's two sizes, made for families, batch cooking, and meals for guests. It pairs a 6-quart saucepan with a fitted 9.5" steamer, so a whole dinner's worth of vegetables, fish or chicken can steam at once. It gives you more control over how food cooks: gentle cooking, steaming, or both, in one French-made system from CRISTEL®.

Why steam and gentle heat matter

Because steamed food sits above the water rather than in it, fewer of its flavors and soluble components are carried away in cooking water that is later discarded. Cooking at a controlled, gentle temperature helps vegetables, fish and meat keep their texture, color and natural flavor. BIOME was created to make that kind of cooking simple and repeatable at home.

How the thermometer works

Many stovetop steamers are used over continuously boiling water with no way to monitor the temperature around the food. BIOME places a thermometer in the lid, so once the steam is up you reduce the burner and hold the range CRISTEL recommends for the method you are using: 70–95°C (160–200°F) for steam cooking, 65–90°C (150–195°F) for gentle cooking in the saucepan, and a range set by the recipe for combination cooking. The cooking-time sheet lists times for vegetables, fruit, meat and fish, and the BIOME guide book walks you through the method step by step.

What it is designed for

Vegetables, fish, poultry and meat, and fruit, from weeknight sides to whole meals. The 30-recipe cookbook included in the box is a practical place to start.

How it differs from a saucepan or a steamer basket

A steamer basket only holds food over water. BIOME is a matched system: a 6 Qt Casteline Multiply® saucepan, a fitted 9.5" stainless steel steamer, a 9.5" glass lid so you can watch without lifting it, a thermometer, and a written method. Remove the steamer and the saucepan works on its own as everyday cookware, and the removable handles let it go from stove to table.

What goes into the price

• Made in France, certified Origine France Garantie (BV Cert. 6019453).
• CRISTEL states that the BIOME stainless steel is made with more than 85% recycled material and is 100% recyclable.
• Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, according to CRISTEL.
• A complete method, not just a pan: thermometer, steamer, glass lid, recipes and cooking guide.

What's in the box

• 1 Casteline Multiply® saucepan, 6 Qt
• 1 stainless steel steamer, 9.5"
• 1 glass lid, 9.5"
• 1 thermometer
• 2 removable raspberry-colored side handles
• 1 cookbook with 30 recipes
• 1 BIOME® method guide
• 1 cooking-time sheet for vegetables, fruit, meat and fish

Part of our curated CRISTEL selection. See how we chose these pieces.